Paraprofessional Vicky Rodriguez wins annual award because her love of students

JIM RYDBOM/jrydbom@greeleytribune.com
Vicky Rodriguez shares a laugh with Monfort Elementary student Hicham Timejardine, 8, during a reading study group. Rodriguez has been named the Classified Employee of the year for her work with students at the school.

JIM RYDBOM/jrydbom@greeleytribune.com
Vicky Rodriguez gets a group hug from students at Monfort Elementary School at the end of class last week. Rodriguez has been named Classified Employee of the year.

JIM RYDBOM/jrydbom@greeleytribune.com
Vicky Rodriguez, right, listens to Monfort Elementary second grader Kiyah Peterson, 7, read while at the school last week. Rodriguez has been named Classified Employee of the year.

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There is an unmistakable sound in the halls of Monfort Elementary School that leaves teachers and administrators a bit sad when it’s absent.

“I gave her the day off and everyone was stopping by my office asking, ‘Where’s Vicky? We don’t hear her laugh,’ ” said Monfort Principal Sue Ann Highland about paraprofessional Vicky Rodriguez .

But it’s not her infectious laugh that recently earned her the honor of Greeley-Evans School District 6’s classified employee of the year.

It was her non-stop, give-it-her-all, nothing-gets-in-her-way attitude.

In fact, every person — from the physical education teacher to grade-level teachers to other paras — who stopped by Highland’s office as she talked about Rodriguez, had something to say about what makes her special.

“She just loves kids,” Highland said. “You can see it. It oozes out of every pore. She goes above and beyond in everything. You never have to ask her.”

A paraprofessional is someone able to perform independently and without supervision many duties of a teacher because they have significant knowledge in the field, but they do not have the official certification of a teacher. Classified employees in the district are all employes without teaching or administrative degrees.

Rodriguez does a little bit of everything. Her main focus is helping in the kindergarten rooms with one-on-one attention for those who need a bit of extra help, however, she also oversees the before-school tutoring and study club each morning from 7:40 a.m. until the bell rings, and she fills in for any teacher who needs it during her down times.

“Sometimes, Mrs. Highland has to make me take a break,” she said with that pronounced laugh. “I just always can find things that need to be done.”

Her favorite part of the day, she said, is as playground monitor during lunch — where she is generally sporting her latest Broncos attire, which ranges from shirts and coats to every crazy hat ever made.

“That’s the best place to get to know your kids,” Rodriguez said. “They all like to talk to you. They love to give me a bad time about my love for the Broncos.”

Rodriguez has been a para in District 6 since 1997. She started at Jefferson Elementary School and moved to Monfort three years ago when Jefferson became a high school. Before that she worked with special education students at Winograd and ABC Child Development Center.

“After being at Jefferson for so long, it was kind of scary to go somewhere else,” she said. “But my husband is so supportive, he told me ‘Vick, you go. You know you want to be with those kids.’ He was right.”

Rodriguez was selected for the yearly award given to one employee for his or her work from a pool of 22 nominees from around the district. Several employees recommended Rodriguez to Highland for nomination.

“She gets to know all the kids,” Highland said. “She connects with them. She is very observant. Kids just seek her out, and when kids seek you out, that’s a good thing.”

Rodriguez wouldn’t have it any other way. She doesn’t see her days at Monfort as a job, but more as a life’s passion.

“After raising three brothers and three sisters, two kids and now having three grandchildren, this is where I want to be, around kids,” she said. “I have always loved working with kids. I just get a joy out of watching them learn.”

Sherrie Peif covers education for The Tribune. If you have an idea for a feature, contact Sherrie at (970) 392-5632, by email at speif@greeleytribune.com. Follow her on twitter @dawgsmom4.